Machine with articulated mold sets for continuous casting of non-ferrous metals

ABSTRACT

Disclosed is an adjustable hydraulic braking device for the lower articulated endless set of mold blocks of a continuous casting machine. The device is disposed to engage said mold blocks at the downstream end of the mold cavity and urges the mold blocks into contact with one another. The motor is coupled to the mold set by a transmission gearing.

United States Patent 11 1 Gyongyos July 24, 1973 MAClllNE WlTll ARTICULATED MOLD [56] References Cited SETS FOR CONTINUOUS CASTING OF UNITED STATES PATENTS NON'FERROUS METALS 3,605,868 9/1971 Giadorou 164/279 [76] Inventor; Ivan Gyongyos, Montana, Le 3,062,327 11/1962 Debus 188/5 Barzettes, Switzerland 2,670,947 3/1954 Duncan 266/21 2,910,745 1 11/1959 Norton 164/323 [22] Filed: May 5,1971 1,870,406 8/1932 Douteur 164/279 21 A l. N .2140480 1 pp 0 Primary Examiner-J. Spencer Overholser 1 Related US. Applicatio Data Assistant Examiner-John S. Brown [63] Continuation-impart of Set. N01 108,529, Jan. 21, Attorney-Ernest F. Marmorek 1971, abandoned.

30 F A r f P t D [57] ABSTRACT 1 Drug pp f y Disclosed is an adjustable hydraulic braking device for May 8 1970 Switzerland 6845/70 the lower articulated endless Set of mold blocks of a continuous casting machine. The device is disposed to 8 164/ 1 5 1 24 engage said mold blocks at the downstream end of the V I-:0:VeVI-l. a l I n a a s u -eun a s 4 v t 58 Field ofSearch ..164/279,87,152,153,283, y a urges m with one another. The motor is coupled to the mold set by a transmission gearing.

2 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This is a continuation-in-part of copending application Ser. No. 108,529 filed Jan. 21, 1971 and now abandoned for improvements in the, continuous casting of non-ferrous metals.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The parent case relates generally to a machinefor the continuous casting of strips of non-ferrous metals, such as aluminium and aluminium alloys, having an advancing moldformed by a cooperating pair of articulated endless sets of mold blocks driven at the same speed so that over a portion of their run they engage with each other and define between them a moving mold cavity. The circulating mold sets are inclined at an angle between and 45 to the horizontal in the direction. of casting.

More particularly, this invention relates to a braking device disposed at least at the lower set of mold blocks, for retarding the advance movement of the latter. This braking device cooperates with toothededge segments serving for the drive of the mold sets andtprevents formation of undesired gaps between the individual mold blocks. r I

In the parent case, there have been disclosed several types of mechanical braking devices. In the meantime, however,further braking devices havebeen developed formingthe subject matter of the present invention.

It is, therefore, an object of this invention to improve the operation and, design of continuously casting'machines of the above described type.

Another object of this invention is to provide abraking device for a continuously castingfmachine, which can be optionally and very finely adjusted.

Still another object of this invention is to maintain a constant braking effect of the mold braking device.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The'above object are attained by providing a controllable hydraulic braking device .operatively coupled to the toothed edge segments of at leastone set of mold blocks.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING For a better understanding of the invention, reference is had to the folliwng detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic perspective view of the continuous casting machine; y

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic perspective view of the lowerset of mold blocks seen from the opposite side of the machine of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a similar view as in FIG. 2 incorporating the hydraulic braking device according to this invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic perspective view of the central valve.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION FIG. 1 shows a machine of the kind previously described having an upper articulated mold set l0:and a lower articulated moldsetll, both sets being inclined about 30 from a horizontal. The arrows indicate the direction of circulation of respective endless mold sets.

blocks 12 and 13. The lower mold blocks 13 only are provided with recesses 15forming the casting area; the upper mold blocks 12 are not recessed and serve merely for covering by their flat sides the casting area in the mold blocks 13. The dimensions of the recesses lS-determine the size of the cast strip 16.

Guiding parts of the mold sets, connected with the mold blocks by supporting and fastening elements having alow total thermal conductivity, are located within a housing 17. The bottoms edges of individual mold blocks 12 and 13 are provided with toothed edgesegments engaging with driving gears 19 and 20 at the end of the straight interval 14, (that means at the point where the assembled mold is branching into separate mold sets). The driving gears 19' as driven by a motor 21. r

FIG. 2 illustrates the formation of undesired gaps 22 in the lower mold set 11. Due to the weight of mold blocks 13 at the curved descending portion of the endless mold set 1 1, a pull results producing interspaces or gaps 22 between mold blocks within the. straight interval 14 which, as mentioned above, forms together with the facing upper mold blocks theactual casting area (FIG. 1).

The gaps 22 are reliably avoided by the application of ahydraulic braking device as illustrated. in FIGS. 3 and 4. A gear wheel 35 is in engagement with toothed edge segments 18, similarly as in. known mechanical braking devices, and transmits its motion via a shaft 36 to a conventional stepped-up transmission gearing37. The last gear in the transmission gearing 37 is coupled via a shaft 38 with a conventional hydraulic braking motor 39. Braking liquid, such as oil, for example, is fed into the hydraulic braking motor 39 through feeding conduit 40. The pressure oil from the hydraulic braking motor 39 is dishcarged via a discharging conduit 41 and passes in a known manner through an adjustable flow-through valve 42 by means of which the pressure within the hydraulic braking motor 39, and thereby the braking effect, thereof is controlled. The oil is cooled in a subsequently connected conventional cooling device 43, circulates through a closed conduit system and through the feeding conduit 40 is reintroduced into the motor 39.

The hydraulic braking device according to this invention has the advantage that the torsional moment and thus the braking effect of the motor 39 can be very accurately controlled. Another very important advantage of the invention resides in that the in heat converted energy is removed by the circulating oil and the braking with a plurality of said blocks of each said set disposed rectilinearly to form an advancing portion of said run inclined to the horizontal at an angle between and 45, said plurality of blocks of said upper set being in engagement with said plurality of said blocks of said lower set to form a mold cavity there between, driving means operable for driving said endless sets of mold blocks around respective closed runs in synchronism with one another, and adjustable hydraulic braking means disposed to engage in succession each of said advancing portion of said run inclined to the horizontal at an angle between 0 and 45,

said plurality of blocks of said upper set being in engagement with said plurality of said blocks of said lower set to form a mold cavity there between,

driving means operable for driving said endless sets of mold blocks around respective closed runs in synchronism with one another,

and adjustable hydraulic braking means disposed to engage said mold blocks of said lower set at the downstream end of said mold cavity, whereby the action of said braking means urges said plurality of said mold blocks of said lower set forming said mold cavity into contact with one another, said hydraulic braking means comprising a hydraulic braking motor having a feeding conduit and a discharging conduit for braking liquid, a control valve connected in series with said discharging conduit, and a transmission gearing coupling said hydraulic braking motor to said mold blocks of said lower set.

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1. A machine for the continuous casting of non-ferrous metal strip comprising upper and lower articulated endless sets of mold blocks, mounting means for each of said sets and adapted to support the said sets with a plurality of said blocks of each said set disposed rectilinearly to form an advancing portion of said run inclined to the horizontal at an angle between 0* and 45*, said plurality of blocks of said upper set being in engagement with said plurality of said blocks of said lower set to form a mold cavity there between, driving means operable for driving said endless sets of mold blocks around respective closed runs in synchronism with one another, and adjustable hydraulic braking means disposed to engage in succession each of said mold blocks of said lower set at the downstream end of said mold cavity, whereby the action of said braking means urges said plurality of said mold blocks of said lower set forMing said mold cavity into contact with one another.
 2. A machine for the continuous casting of non-ferrous metal strip comprising: upper and lower articulated endless sets of mold blocks, mounting means for each of said sets and adapted to support the said sets with a plurality of said blocks of each said set disposed rectilinearly to form an advancing portion of said run inclined to the horizontal at an angle between 0* and 45*, said plurality of blocks of said upper set being in engagement with said plurality of said blocks of said lower set to form a mold cavity there between, driving means operable for driving said endless sets of mold blocks around respective closed runs in synchronism with one another, and adjustable hydraulic braking means disposed to engage said mold blocks of said lower set at the downstream end of said mold cavity, whereby the action of said braking means urges said plurality of said mold blocks of said lower set forming said mold cavity into contact with one another, said hydraulic braking means comprising a hydraulic braking motor having a feeding conduit and a discharging conduit for braking liquid, a control valve connected in series with said discharging conduit, and a transmission gearing coupling said hydraulic braking motor to said mold blocks of said lower set. 